Blue Devil of the Week: Penn's incredible performance helps Duke volleyball to consecutive ACC wins

During the fall season, The Chronicle is polling its readers every week via its Sportswrap newsletter to highlight one Blue Devil athlete’s outstanding performance. This week’s spotlight goes to Grace Penn of Duke volleyball:

Duke volleyball faced off against Syracuse last Sunday in a tight match, pulling away with a 3-1 win, its second consecutive ACC victory to start the season. With nearly double the attendance from their last game against the Boston College Eagles, the Blue Devils showed out for their fans and played a thrilling game to watch.

With the artistry of getting the ball perfectly into place for a teammate's spike, the setter is the pillar for the offense and the orchestrator behind each hit of the ball. Grace Penn embodied excellence at the position like no other during her four years at Boston College, and now continues to do so with Duke. 

The new Blue Devil started off her college career strong, totaling 278 assists, 71 digs and eight service aces as a freshman with the Eagles. Penn’s continual growth thereafter has been nothing short of impressive. Most notably, Penn started in all 37 matches in her junior year, amassing 852 assists, 225 digs and 25 service aces. 

When playing against Grace’s previous school Sept. 27, Duke went back and forth with Boston College. The Eagles and Blue Devils each won two of the first four sets, before Duke pulled ahead in the fifth to clinch the victory. With 45 out of her team’s 56 assists in this game, Grace not only shattered her collegiate personal best in assists, but outstandingly set her team up for success through her incredible playmaking abilities.

The Manhattan Beach, Calif., native has had an outstanding season so far, as she has put up a staggering 392 assists in just 14 games of play. While the Blue Devils have often struggled this season, Penn has stepped into her role as a leader on the team and has made impressive strides in exceeding her previous achievements. While Duke recently fell to North Carolina Wednesday, the Blue Devils will hope that Penn’s consistent performances translate to further collective success as they continue ACC play.